The Light and Dark Side of Narcissism: Evidence for Short-Term Benefits and Long-Term Costs from a Negotiation Task

To negotiate well, one must feel entitled enough to advocate for him or herself and to ultimately claim as much value as is needed or desired. While individuals high on narcissism may have generally aversive personalities, one of the hallmark features of narcissism entitlement may be a highly adaptive trait which could lead to optimal outcomes in the negotiation context. However, other features of narcissism, such as the inability to make accurate inferences about others, may lead to less optimal outcomes for the overall relationship with negotiation partners. In the current research we tested and found that individuals scoring highest on the Narcissistic Personality Inventory were, indeed, significantly better at claiming monetary value in the short negotiation interaction; however, these same individuals were less accurate at making inferences about their negotiation partners' feelings and as a consequence were judged more harshly on interpersonal dimensions indicative of warmth and trust.